Did you plan a special retirement cruise?

[Bennniee]

13 hours ago, crystalspin said:

Bennniee,

I'm sure your late husband would be happy to see you enjoy the product of your lifetime of labors.

Crystalpin, Thank you for saying this.  I actually have a fair bit of guilt about taking such an extravagant trip.   He loved to support my ideas but this one might have been a bridge too far.   But I have to live my life, so away I go...

[Clay Clayton]

30 minutes ago, Bennniee said:

Crystalpin, Thank you for saying this.  I actually have a fair bit of guilt about taking such an extravagant trip.   He loved to support my ideas but this one might have been a bridge too far.   But I have to live my life, so away I go...

I suspect he would say go cross that bridge!  Have a great time. 

[Bennniee]

5 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

I suspect he would say go cross that bridge!  Have a great time. 

Thank you - very sweet of you to say. 

[Lois R]

Well, I put a deposit down for a "RETIREMENT CELEBRATION CRUISE"....April 2020 TA crossing with another one after it...22 days on Seabourn.....I sail solo and in the 16 years I have been cruising, this will be my FIRST crossing too..  Over the previous time, I could NEVER  take off at the end of the month

due to W O R K and crossings seem to always land in that timeframe. So, I will be able to do it next

year and I AM!!!

[Clay Clayton]

Congratulations!  We loved our transatlantic celebration cruise do much we did it again the next year. Hopefully you will too. 

[Lois R]

2 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Congratulations!  We loved our transatlantic celebration cruise do much we did it again the next year. Hopefully you will too. 

Thanks now that I put the deposit down, I found some other crossings (on other lines) that look good too.....so many choices.…….

[Clay Clayton]

Well we loved Viking and at least last year they had a “free” air promo and cut their single supplement to 150% so my DMIL tagged along.  That promo showed up in December before a March cruise as I recalled. Viking isn’t as luxurious as Seabourn but then isn’t as expensive either. 

[Lois R]

2 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Well we loved Viking and at least last year they had a “free” air promo and cut their single supplement to 150% so my DMIL tagged along.  That promo showed up in December before a March cruise as I recalled. Viking isn’t as luxurious as Seabourn but then isn’t as expensive either. 

Hi, thanks for the reply. Fortunately, I have the $$$ saved away for this trip. I can take a look at Viking though. Was your cruise a crossing?

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, Lois R said:

Hi, thanks for the reply. Fortunately, I have the $$$ saved away for this trip. I can take a look at Viking though. Was your cruise a crossing?

Yes, 14 days San Juan to Barcelona.   We are looking at taking the 22 day next spring from Buenos Aires to Barcelona.  Waiting for a promo. 

[ronpes]

290 days and counting

Ovation:  Alaska - Hawaii - Sydney transpacific. Then Some time In Melbourne with friends then home via Singapore. By the time we get back we will have circumvented the world. Total of  Six weeks away. 

Cant wait. 

[cruznjan]

I didn't, but my cousin did. It was a 5 day Bahamas cruise

[crystalspin]

On 5/28/2019 at 7:23 PM, crystalspin said:

Dr'spin is going to retire at the end of the year. We're doing a 28-night cruise to Hawaii and South Pacific on the Emerald Princess which takes the entire 29-day month of February 2020!

Wound up cancelling the Princess cruise to book Holland America Oosterdam, same length cruise, some same ports some different. Seven weeks later (sail 21 March). This was too long without a celebratory trip for DH so we are going to South America with Gate1 where we will hop from place to place mostly by plane. 

 

We will sail R/T Alaska from San Pedro with Princess in June, though! Taking my mom, sis, and BIL.

[Vagabond Knight]

Yes, a 13-day southbound Celebrity Alaskan cruisetour, leaving a week after I retire next year... woo-hoo!!!

[pootsien2]

I celebrated my retirement this past August/September 2019 (also my 66 bday!) with a Princess connoisseur Alaska land tour first (8 days) and then 7 day cruise southbound. It was wonderful!! Highly recommend it!

[ronpes]

I plan to retire at the end of August this year, and we then leave on Ovation 2 weeks later for Alaska and then a Transpacific to Sydney via Hawaii. I had always wanted to do that for years but could never get the time off work so its finally coming round. We have a trip on Harmony in April to tide us over between now and then.

We have been to Sydney twice before (beautiful city and country) but never been to Alaska or Hawaii so lots to be excited about.

[telebax51]

3 hours ago, ronpes said:

I plan to retire at the end of August this year, and we then leave on Ovation 2 weeks later for Alaska and then a Transpacific to Sydney via Hawaii. I had always wanted to do that for years but could never get the time off work so its finally coming round. We have a trip on Harmony in April to tide us over between now and then.

We have been to Sydney twice before (beautiful city and country) but never been to Alaska or Hawaii so lots to be excited about.

I would like to do a Transpacific cruise will put on my to go list. Been to Hawaii and Alaska 2 of my best cruises making plans to cruise there again.

[Lois R]

Hi folks....well, my first "cruise post retirement"  is on Thursday.....it is only 7 nights to the Caribbean but I am

so looking forward to it.  The big one is in April---going on a b2b----and will be away for 28 days

 

I have a question and I tried the search feature but I can't seem to get anything to come up so  I will ask on here-

when you are away for a longer period of time,  do you do anything special with stuff at home?  I know I will have

to put my mail on hold and I will pay multiple bills early.  Have any of you had issues with water dissolving?

(I know it sounds weird) but it seems the toilet water decreases even while I am away for 2 weeks.....just wondering

if this has happened to anyone else?

[ronpes]

2 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi folks....well, my first "cruise post retirement"  is on Thursday.....it is only 7 nights to the Caribbean but I am

so looking forward to it.  The big one is in April---going on a b2b----and will be away for 28 days

 

I have a question and I tried the search feature but I can't seem to get anything to come up so  I will ask on here-

when you are away for a longer period of time,  do you do anything special with stuff at home?  I know I will have

to put my mail on hold and I will pay multiple bills early.  Have any of you had issues with water dissolving?

(I know it sounds weird) but it seems the toilet water decreases even while I am away for 2 weeks.....just wondering

if this has happened to anyone else?

 

Hi, not sure if this is any help but have you looked at the thread for World Cruisers?  as I seem to remember from browsing that thread time ago some folks asking about things like that, and what they do to prepare for being away for extended periods. 

 

Good luck and Regards

[Lois R]

41 minutes ago, ronpes said:

 

Hi, not sure if this is any help but have you looked at the thread for World Cruisers?  as I seem to remember from browsing that thread time ago some folks asking about things like that, and what they do to prepare for being away for extended periods. 

 

Good luck and Regards

Thank you so much!!!!   I will look at that thread!

[crystalspin]

10 hours ago, Lois R said:

Hi folks....well, my first "cruise post retirement"  is on Thursday.....it is only 7 nights to the Caribbean but I am

so looking forward to it.  The big one is in April---going on a b2b----and will be away for 28 days

 

I have a question and I tried the search feature but I can't seem to get anything to come up so  I will ask on here-

when you are away for a longer period of time,  do you do anything special with stuff at home?  I know I will have

to put my mail on hold and I will pay multiple bills early.  Have any of you had issues with water dissolving?

(I know it sounds weird) but it seems the toilet water decreases even while I am away for 2 weeks.....just wondering

if this has happened to anyone else?

This is sort of related -- when my brother was here a year ago (right at this time) -- he is very practical, a man of all trades -- he told me to flush toilets and run a few gallons of water in any sink/tub that was unused, at least once a month. Water does evaporate and when a "trap" (the horizontal "S" pipe under the sink) gets low enough, sewer gas can come back into the house! Smelly! We have a bathroom that is entirely unused (the cats' litterboxes are in there, and a triple laundry sorter in the tub), and a tub that is only used when we have guests, so I have been trying to remember to do the water flush.

 

As far as toilet water decreasing in two weeks (in FLORIDA, not a land of low humidity!) -- I would suspect it's seeping through the toilet's P-trap (similar to the sink trap). It probably won't go dry (sewer gas again) in a month. If you are having anyone come by for a walk-through, you could ask/tell them to flush it once a week, and run the faucets.

 

We are also cruising for 28-days in March-April (!) -- we have someone come by daily to see to our kitties; I'll have to remember to ask her to do that too!

 

We get our mail at a UPS "Store" and they hold it including packages for us. The "junk mail" that comes to the house, our cat lady brings in. (Anything that is left on the front stoop she brings in, so it doesn't look like no one was home.) For the Mar-Apr cruise, DH says we will pay early: the home-owner's association dues for our investment/retirement condo, our lawn-mower for home, and OUR TAXES!!! That's what he comes up with off-hand. The credit cards are paid automatically, electronically. 

[Vagabond Knight]

12 hours ago, Lois R said:

I have a question and I tried the search feature but I can't seem to get anything to come up so  I will ask on here-

when you are away for a longer period of time,  do you do anything special with stuff at home?
 

 

We never leave our home unattended during cruises.  If my daughter and her husband are not available to stay here while we're gone, we use "Trusted Housesitters."   We have a cat and, although we have neighbors who would come over and feed her each day and take care of the catbox, she's used to having people around most of the time since we both telecommute full time.  She's much happier to have company while we're away.  We always pick cat lovers with lots of positive feedback from previous housesits and Siobhan, who's quite social, has always warmed up to them nicely.  We've met a number of lovely people who've taken good care of her and of our home.  We have lawn service, so they only need to take of her, water some plants, clean up after themselves and set the alarm when they go out.   We don't expect them to stay here at the house all day every day, but having people here at least most of the time keeps her happy and makes us feel more comfortable than having the house vacant while we're away.  We let the neighbors know who will be there and provide them with contact info for the neighbors.  I generally introduce them to the neighbors right across the street from us in case they need help with something.  We put a hold on the mail and have all our bills pre-scheduled for payment through our bank's BillPay service.

Edited January 15, 2020 by SunsetPoint

[Lois R]

Good morning, thanks for both of your replies...I have no pets so nothing to watch there.  I live in a condo and I am

friendly with the Property Manager and the head of security.  I will speak with them.  But I have no family here so that

is out.  I know about the mail hold and the bills.....not an issue.  I am trying to figure out about my car though...….

I think I need to find a long term lot at the airport for that one since I always drive myself-----.

 

Oh, as for the toilets...….mine gets flushed every day LOL...…...the guest bath is the one I have to remember.

[Vagabond Knight]

19 minutes ago, Lois R said:

I am trying to figure out about my car though...….  I think I need to find a long term lot at the airport for that one since I always drive myself-----.
 

 

I see you're in Jax.  Depending upon how long your cruise is and any discounts available to you (senior rate, AAA rate, etc.), you may also consider getting a one-way rental car to the port if you're driving down to Miami or Fort Lauderdale, and then another one-way rental back home afterwards.  It can be a bit of a hassle to deal with the rental car locations, but for us (coming from Brevard County and having a great discount because of my employer), it has at times been less expensive than parking for longer cruises, and our car stayed safely at home. YMMV, of course.  If you're going out of Jax, a shuttle or Uber/Lyft that can pick you up at your home can be super convenient and again you wouldn't have to worry about your car sitting at some lot near the port.  For our next cruise (out of Port Everglades), we're driving down and using Park'NGo because we're vacationing elsewhere in the state prior to the cruise and it would be far more expensive to rent a car for the entire pre-cruise week. Also, our car has gotten old enough and high mileage enough that we're not that worried about it anymore. 

[Lois R]

On 1/15/2020 at 9:02 AM, SunsetPoint said:

 

I see you're in Jax.  Depending upon how long your cruise is and any discounts available to you (senior rate, AAA rate, etc.), you may also consider getting a one-way rental car to the port if you're driving down to Miami or Fort Lauderdale, and then another one-way rental back home afterwards.  It can be a bit of a hassle to deal with the rental car locations, but for us (coming from Brevard County and having a great discount because of my employer), it has at times been less expensive than parking for longer cruises, and our car stayed safely at home. YMMV, of course.  If you're going out of Jax, a shuttle or Uber/Lyft that can pick you up at your home can be super convenient and again you wouldn't have to worry about your car sitting at some lot near the port.  For our next cruise (out of Port Everglades), we're driving down and using Park'NGo because we're vacationing elsewhere in the state prior to the cruise and it would be far more expensive to rent a car for the entire pre-cruise week. Also, our car has gotten old enough and high mileage enough that we're not that worried about it anymore. 

Good morning

Thanks for the reply😊but I am not driving down

So will probably find a covered long term parking lot. My entire trip is 28 days.

[Zippeedee]

On 1/16/2020 at 9:23 AM, Lois R said:

Good morning

Thanks for the reply😊but I am not driving down

So will probably find a covered long term parking lot. My entire trip is 28 days.

I live less than ten miles from Logan airport. I just get an Uber to the airport when I’m away longer than a few days. airport parking here, even long term, is outrageously expensive.